


He Said

by InnerSpectrum



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Fluff, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-13
Updated: 2018-06-13
Packaged: 2019-05-21 22:07:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14923697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InnerSpectrum/pseuds/InnerSpectrum
Summary: Mycroft Holmes ponders his relationship with Detective Inspector Gregory Lestrade.





	He Said

It is half one in the morning in my office. Between important elections happening in three foreign soils, plus the whole Belarus operation, I have not properly slept since I woke up Saturday. It was now Thursday morning. I rang out on the latest phone call and rubbed my eye sockets with the heel of my palms.  I heard my office door open and close as Lestrade came in. He and the police commissioner of New Scotland Yard were working with me and my team on another joint operation. Though to be fair, everyone else has long gone home. I had sent Anthea home at midnight. Workaholics we are, it was only Gregory and I in the office now.

A serving tray with a turkey sandwich, cut on the diagonal, a few ginger nut biscuits, a cup of tea and my migraine medication were placed in front of me. I said nothing to him, yet he knew my needs even when stubborn me won’t take the time to heed them. The man is a blessing I did not know I needed until Sherlock sent him to find me in Sherrinford.

God, Sherrinford. What a conflagration that turned into. The falling ashes of which are still being felt all this time later, but those first weeks in its wake? Sheer hell.

The ones outside the circle carried on, business as usual. Naturally, some forces on the inside tried to use the distraction of Sherrinford to take me down.

They paid for that error dearly.

Sherlock, understandably was busy trying to find a way to reconnect with the madwoman that is our sister after decades of having suppressed her very existence. I still have mixed feelings about that, but I understand why he tries and leave it be for now. I know my brother loves me, I do. Yet, I must admit it had surprised me to learn just how much he cared.

That he understood the depth of what I was going through to help mend the rift between our parents and me. It is still a tenuous thing, but it is better than the painful words they had hurled in the revelation of the truth of Eurus. And in the meantime, Sherlock and I slowly, painfully have learned how to reach out to each other and form a different kind of relationship. We are who we are, we will never be as gregarious siblings, but we are not as vicious to each other as we once were. I do not think either of us truly understood the depth of how much we wanted this balance with each other until we finally had a chance to build it.

That blessing was also Gregory’s doing. Gregory gave me my brother as much as my brother gave me Gregory.

Gregory and Sherlock were the only ones who called to check on me in those first harsh weeks. When I tried to shove Gregory away, he was the one who came to my office at Diogenes and intentionally created such a ruckus that put John Watson’s faux pas on his inaugural visit to the club to shame. I ignored him the first two days. On the third day I had to see Gregory or have him arrested. When the man gets a bee in his bonnet he is quite the determined being, I will give him that. Except for my brother, and to some degree Anthea, no one has fought for me, advocated for my emotional well-being as tenaciously as he since I was a child. I learned the hard way of Lestrade’s steadfast poker face. One that made me promise weekly dinners with him to get us both out of our respective offices. It became a thing we looked forward to each week. If one or the other, granted mostly me, is out of town for more than a week, then two dinners were scheduled the first week back. I was forced to see him in a new light and I liked what was shone. 

While I was very interested in Gregory long before Sherrinford, in my mind, he belonged to Sherlock. My brother had so very few people in his life he could count on implicitly, I did not wish to potentially sully that. Sex for me, because of who I am, what I do, it had almost always been a one and done. It was truly what was safest for all involved. Yet intrinsically I somehow always knew I would want more than one time with the man. Our dinners only strengthened that desire as I allowed myself to see more of the man and let him see more of me.  Still, I admit I was very much out of my bailiwick. I could, and have, faked feelings in the line of work. However, that thought of a true emotional connection terrified me. Like everything he does in my life, Gregory as always found a way to make it effortless, to make it easy. At the beginning of the past holiday season the rogue somehow, convinced Anthea to hang mistletoe inside the sedan. I amazed myself when it was I who quipped about not letting it go to waste. Oh, the grin that thrice-damned man gave me! He feeds my heart and nourishes my soul. What is the catchphrase the kids use now? _He gives me life._ My driver swore through his lying teeth that the normally ten-minute ride to one of our favorite restaurants honestly took nearly half an hour due to traffic as Gregory and I got a good old-fashioned snog out of our system. The first day of the New Year dawned with me waking in his arms and for once feeling as all was right in this insane world.

It was those arms that now placed a different kind of sustenance before me.

Now, some eighteen months after Sherrinford, my eyes follow the strong forearms exposed via the rolled-up sleeves of his shirt, the set of his broad shoulders. I noted the bob of his Adam’s apple as he swallowed, the jaw with a couple of days’ worth of scruff, those cheek bones, the silver hair standing on end from him constantly running a hand over his head – as he was doing right now and finally I looked up into his warm chocolate eyes. It registered then that Gregory entered the office.

“When did you leave?”

“Right after you told the new lackey for the deputy directors of one of the American alphabet agencies that you could smell the female progenitor lactations aerially dispensed via rima oris.”

_I said what?! And Gregory was in the room? Oh, dear me!_

I put my head in my hands and groan, feeling that small migraine starting to spike to something sizeable. I leave myself a mental note that I will have to make amends later today. That is going to be such joy.

“Oh, you are exhausted Holmes.” Gregory clucked at me.  “I can _see_ how tired you are and I have not seen you consume a thing since I arrived at 1p.m.”

I start to protest, but Gregory speaks right over me.

“I don’t know if I should be complimented that you trust me, you spoke so freely in front of me or offended that you think so little of me that you dismissed my presence. So, here’s the deal. You are going to eat that sandwich. Have a couple of biscuits. Take your meds and drink your tea. And then you are going to lie down on the comfy looking couch and take a four-hour nap. Don’t even think of an excuse. You’re running on fumes and even those are dying out.”

I know he is joking, about being complimented or offended, a little. I do know this. I also know, this thing between us is a constant check and balance between personal and professional. He could tell me anything it would have little bearing on the machinations of how I work. Regrettably, the reverse is not so. I can tell him next to nothing. Its load is harder on him to bear. I have to let him know how appreciated he is. How much I respect him. How much I trust him.

“Remember I placed the call to them in your presence, Gregory. Were it something at that secure level, I would have excused myself. Your bosses think my office is in another building entirely. None at NSY know this section of the wing exists, yet you’ve been here multiple times before Sherrinford. You would not be in this section of the building, let alone in this private office, did I not want it. Be complimented, please.”

He does not smile, but I can see it has pleased him to hear the words, hear how heartfelt they are. Still, he lifts a brow and points at the sandwich. He is not letting me get away without eating when he has that look to him. I sigh and take a perfunctory bite just to appease him. Then the flavors hit my taste buds. His smugness, mere minutes later when everything on the tray is consumed and I have taken my migraine meds, is annoying but justified.

“You are too good to me, Gregory. But the operation. We really need to figure out…”

“Figure out how you’re going to walk over to that couch and lay your handsome, but exhausted arse down before I have to knock you out if that’s the only way to get you to rest. I will continue searching. Any snags, I’ll write them down and you can tackle them when you’re rested. Now get over there.” Gregory makes a shooing motion for me to get from behind my desk. He knows just how tired I am that it works. 

“I want to accuse you of wanting to take advantage of me in my weakened state to ravish me.” I chuckle loosening my tie as I follow orders and head to the couch.

“You want to, but you know I’m not into necrophilia.” Gregory bends to give me a kiss on the cheek. “Four hours starting now and short of Armageddon itself, anyone who tries to disturb you before then gets beat down. Now rest.”

<><><><><> 

I wake before the four hours are done. As always, my mind wakes and processes before my body does, so I know Gregory and Anthea are at my computer pouring over data. They are not yet aware I am awake as they converse.

“Look Greg, there’s something I’ve been meaning to say for a while now…” Anthea begins and pauses. That is odd, she rarely hesitates when speaking. I know it is because she’s likely looked to see any signs of my wakefulness.

“Seriously, A? You are not about to give me the _if I break his heart, you’ll break my leg_ speech after all this time?” Gregory teased.

“Greg, you know damned well if a tear falls from that man’s face because of you, that is not one of utter joy, it would take a Holmes brother to identify all the pieces. _IF_ they found them. We know the words are not necessary.” She teased him in return, but there was just enough steel in her laughing tone to underlie the truth of it and all in the room knew it. I cannot help it as my mind spends a moment pondering ways I think she would execute such to hide it from me. I have taught her well after all. I cannot lie, that I feel a sense of pride in her words. I also enjoy the sense of comfort in knowing such a situation will never come to pass.

“Mycroft pushes and pushes himself so hard and I can only push back but so much as his PA to get him to eat and rest when he should. Even Sherlock can’t when Mycroft is being particularly stubborn. You’ve changed that. Now he has incentive to go home, to take better care of himself. And honestly I see he does the same for you. I just wanted you to know how grateful I am you are in his life. He deserves this happiness. He deserves you.  And I just wanted to say thank you so much and if you ever tell him how much I love him, how I am so happy for you both to have found each other and how sappy I am being, I will hurt you.” She says with bold, unflinching honesty.

I long ago deduced when she had feelings for me in the beginning of our working relationship. It was especially painful when we were undercover as a couple for over three months. I hurt her when I would not; simply could not reciprocate in the way she deserved to be loved. I made her hate me for a long while. Eventually, she accepted while I can “work” with women I only truly want men. We worked it out into the amazing working relationship we have had now for over a decade. She knows I am aware she currently dates one of the MI6 Double Os. It looks like it is going to be a very serious thing and I am happy for that. So no, I am not surprised at Anthea’s words to Gregory, however I am surprised by his response.

“You can’t hurt me Anthea when you say such things in his presence and he’s awake to hear them.”

“What?” I hear her turn to face me on the couch.

I can all but hear the blush creep up and turn her face crimson as I sit up smiling. I grin at Gregory, impressed that he knew and figured out what gave me away, “Breath?”

“Yes, it hitched when she said it would take you or your brother to identify the pieces of my corpse. Specifically, the _if_ found part. You can’t resist a hypothetical challenge even when half asleep. Please do not tell me of the ways you’ve surmised she’d take me out.” Greg gave me a devilish wink, “You want to shower and change while I order a proper breakfast?”

The way he’s looking at me I know he wants to kiss me. I know he does. But we are in my office and Anthea is present. He will not. In these walls he always respects who I am. One of the many things I love him for.

“No. You are letting my driver take you home so you can get some rest. Go in to work late if you can.” I rise and walk to my desk and stand behind Gregory taking a quick scan at their notes. I turn the chair Gregory sits in to face me and straddle him. The surprised look on his face is nothing compared to the stunned expression of Anthea’s who has never seen me amorous in this manner that was not explicitly work related and even that was eons ago. “And once you’ve rested, pack a bag to bring to my place so you will have clothes there and don’t have to rush out in the morning.” 

I kiss him then. It was my intent to make it a chaste kiss, but the moment my lips touched his, I wanted more. Much more. Once his arms went around me to deepen the kiss I was lost in him. When we pulled away at last, both breathing heavy, Anthea was gone.

_Whoops._

Greg is smiling “I take it that wasn’t quite supposed to happen like that?”

“I think the thought of you waking up and not having to rush out did it.” I smile in return.

“That’s damn sure is what did it for me.” His brown eyes were deep with emotion as he gazes at me. Something crosses his mind. A fleeting something, but significant.

“What are you thinking, Gregory?” I start to rise, but he holds me there and just stares. I look at him and smile as it dawns on me.

I smile answering a question he has yet to ask.

I feel the shiver of happiness that thrums through him as he realizes it. He reaches in his pocket and takes out his keys. He takes apart one of the key rings, which I realize holds an actual ring.

It is an engagement ring.

A man’s engagement ring.

_Why…? Oh!_

This.

This right here is why I love this man. He is the only man who can so easily crack the ice I surround myself with.

“Smart man. I would have deduced any kind of box. Would have noticed a new fob or dangle, but not even I would have paid attention to a key ring itself.” I recover my slackened jaw enough to acknowledge the reality of what this is as I realize just how well he knows me to have genuinely surprised me.

“I, I was going to ask when the operation was over. Take you to dinner, walk along the Thames, but you, right here, right now. I… I love you so much Mycroft. We let so much time go by as is… Will you marry me?” He holds the band out.

_Oh God yes, Gregory!_

His brow furrows slightly when I do not respond, but I reach into a drawer and pull out a small box. A traditional jeweler’s box. His warm brown eyes light up and go wide with wonder.  It is a beautiful thing to behold.

“I love you too, Gregory. I too was waiting for the operation to be over to ask you – will you marry me?” I open it and take the band out of the box.

We are both holding a band in our respective right hands. It is almost a ballet as we kiss while simultaneously slipping the appropriate finger of our left hands into the waiting rings of our right hands.

“Oh God who do we tell first?”  I shake my head, “My brother will be furious if it is not him, but Anthea’s right here. There’s no way we’ll get this past her.”

“And Sally will skin me if she’s not first at NSY. Oh! I have an idea…” Greg grins.

Within a few minutes Sherlock, John, Anthea and Sally receive a text. It is a photo of our two left hands showing the rings with a caption that read “He said “YES!””


End file.
